The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-11-26
Monkeys on a Wire.


mpenetrable vegetation, with gigantic
palms and plantains, with jungles so
iensc that 1t is hard work with stout
and sharp machete to make a path
through them, country of intense
heat of innumerabie mosquitoes, and
ticks, and malaria. and snakes and
Eegetation that grows up in day to
height that interferes with the labor
If man. Such are some parts OF the
Mexican State of Yucatan, and 1t is
through such regions that the tele-
graph which connects the Mexican
capital with important points like San
juan, Bautista or San Cr,stobal must
penetrate. This is country where
he linemen 90 in couples. and armed
With rifles to fight off the fierce
puma" or Mexican tiger (tigre), who
assaults man and is especially ravenous
or telegraph constructors! Linemen
ire often attacked by these formidable
beasts, whose stuffed skins one sees in
museums in the city of Mexico No, |
Ihould not want to encounter puma
| were alone and unarmed 1t
would be of no use to take to tree,
or the puma would get there, too, and
lie can shin up a telegraph pole with
,eatness and dispatch. The Mexican
inemen down in the hot coast country
ihoot many puma while out attend
ny to their lines.
A scarcely less admirable antagonist
found in the monkey tribe who in
habit the jungles and capparal of Ia
oasco. Literally the woods are full
If them" Their favorite diversion,
when not in quest of food, is to betake
themselves to the telegraph line for
gymnastic exercises, and linemen as
iert that often one hundred ablebodied
monkeys may be seen swinging on the
wire, or festooned, monkey-fashion, by
looping their tails. The continuous
vibration of these forest gymnasts
A,tarts the iron nails used on the cross
,rms, and these often come down,
bringing the wire with them.
And it is not a safe matter to under
AXE to dispense the robust monkeys
who play the dickens with the tele-
graph lines in the sparsely Inhabited
State of Tabasco. Lincmen have
ound that on shooting monkey
ywinging on the wire they have been
pursued by whole regiment of monk
,ys, who, with stones and nuts, have
.,elted them severely 1T is no joke
no es bronco" said lneman recent
v, eto have tribe of monkeys pur-
sue one; they are very strong ('nuy
:uertes), and can hit with a
ltone or stick in fashion to make a
nan howl with pain, thing the monk
sys enjoy hugely. They keep up an
ncessant chattering when pursuing us,
and the noise is enough to frighten one
)ut of his Wits Here is a point for
telegraph lnemen in the United States
20 consider when offered position
Town in the Mexican hot lands. One
,hould be monkey-proof, and coat OF
! nail would be a very good protection
lid pot the heat of the coast climate
make it impracticable. "Monkeying
with the telegraph" is phrase which a
Mexican lineman can appreciate. And
,ot to monkey with monkeys he has
iound to be a safe rule If he wants to
seep whole bone in his body. 1t may
we'll be imagined that when wire gets
Town in the hot country that it is nc
mall affair to pick it up again, for
what with fighting tigers, monkeys and
mosquitoes, not to mention the cheer
!ul jigger or borer who works his way
lnder ones skin and sticks there, the
business Is not at all monotonou'
,ne and may be safely recommended
% youthful readers who are dreaming
If the Mayne Reid sort of adventure in
ropic lands. Cor. Boston Herald.